Comments on: Sunday October 2, 2005

By: KirbysWyfe

KirbysWyfe — Sat, 08 Oct 2005 06:25:00 +0000

Don’t have time to address this one fully right now, though lately I’ve been thinking of venting about it on my own xanga. Don’t have time to read / absorb ALL the comments you’ve gotten, either — but I did read Nick’s, and I have to say he’s right on.

I don’t think it’s a gender thing, it’s a sin nature thing. Are we trying to please God or man (< as in, mankind)?

By: turabiangirl

turabiangirl — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 10:27:00 +0000

I have thought about this issue quite a lot. In one sense, I agree with Nick in that part of our orientation towards pleasing the opposite gender is innate (and OK) at least to a degree. But in the sense that I think you were describing, I think it is a problem. I notice the problems a lot with women in leadership and ministry, and the expectations they have of themselves and the expectations that are placed upon them. I wrote a paper once in which I tried to understand these issues and redefine what a woman in ministry could look like if she was not confined to the more aggressive male prototype of leadership. I don’t know if it was good, but I think it was interesting at least, on a conceptual level. hah.

In my personal life, I spent many years trying to think like men without really realizing what I was doing. In fact, I even got my M.Div, in part because I wanted to prove that I was “woman enough” to make it in a male-dominated field. I have only recently been able to admit that that was part of my motivation, and in that, I have begun embracing my true self, which is so stereotypically female it makes me blush: intuitive, relational, not type A…etc. Anyway. It’s late and I don’t feel like I”m making sense, but I just wanted to say I enjoyed your post. :-)

By: runningnoodle

runningnoodle — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 08:02:00 +0000

women are awesome. we have the ability to emphathise tot he pioint of tears and make a pb&j all at the same time. but alas i need to get to bed for i work intheam. your name suits you well ESTHER.

By: runningnoodle

runningnoodle — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 07:58:00 +0000

did you stand up and vehemently speak your mind to this professor? was this prof a male ? if so, he should know that nothing is ever black and white with women. we dress to impress, imprress ourselves...and everyone around us. what is more great ffeling than being told you look great on any given day. however i know we can look great without the dictators of the fashion world. some of my fav designers designed for the likes of hepburn's kate and audrey. calssic. and no one would deny they are beauties.

all that ramblings along with everyone else to say WELL DONE AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN!

By: PimpMoShaun

PimpMoShaun — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 07:46:00 +0000

Right on, I think I’m going to subscribe to your site because I like how you think and your thoughts don’t cost me any money. lol

By: monicateresa

monicateresa — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 20:17:00 +0000

What class are you taking? This sounds exactly like the type of discussion I had in my Women, Theater, & Society class. It’s very intersting that women can’t even see themselves except through the ‘male gaze’. Sad really! It’s also interesting to look at art and see what was considering beautiful for women progress (or regress) such as small breasts with a little belly in Medieval Europe. Or why do so many nude paintings of women fail to paint body hair of any type? It’s all very interesting.

By: PimpMoShaun

PimpMoShaun — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 08:38:00 +0000

What school do you go to? Did they teach you this? Look out men this lady is a killer. Men are frightened of women that have opinions. I bet you have plenty which is good. I don’t know you but its all good I understand where your coming from. You should be a writer or something.

By: WatkinsTalkins

WatkinsTalkins — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 01:15:00 +0000

I like the edit too, that’s a perspective I haven’t really thought about but its very true. Life experience has shown me that. Taking business classes has taught me to be more aggressive to get heard. Good topic!

By: bsirvio

bsirvio — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 00:56:00 +0000

I think there is a larger problem here than just gender-based frames of reference; there is an inherent issue of consumerism as well as the law of diminishing returns.

If we continue down this path of catering to the lowest common denominator and societal entropy, there will be nothing left. We will implode, not because of visible panty lines or lacy lingerie tops that have for whatever reason become regular dress, porn or liberal sex education, but simply that the denominator cannot go any lower and the indiscriminate appetite knows no bounds. Balance and self-control are taboo in a culture that knows none...

..Which brings me to feminist philosophy. I appreciate the contributions of various feminist philosophers (and some of my favorite theological works are from feminist theologians, Angela West's Sex and Salvation, for example, is brilliant), but again, balance is needed. The rub, however, is that I'm not sure we even know what it would be to look through a feminist interpretive lens, much less a balanced one. Doesn't mean we can't or shouldn't try, it's just that the enterprise is a daunting and potentially unnerving one with major consequences.

All that said, your garden-variety male is still a meathead, and most young women could do much better than that. They should do much better than that. It more than sufficiently explains why I'm still alone. That and I'm really, really picky, but that's another conversation for another day...

By: cute_chelsea

cute_chelsea — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 23:35:00 +0000

I agree…I thing though alot of the time women where whats “in style” to impress other women….Most of the men i know are not going to know the difference between a Kate Spade hand bag or a Prada hand bag. Also most of the shoes i wear, most of my male friend dis like very much but in my eyes I think their the greatest thing i’ve ever seen..(also other women appreciate them as much as i do). I definately agree we dress to impress men with some of the things we choose to wear and accesorize with but i definately think we are trying to gain respect and impress other women almost as frequently. that may be just my experience…especially living in a sorority house.